President of the Most Parliamentary Club Miroslav Šimić stated on Thursday in the Parliament that the Government’s decisions regarding the dismissal of three Most ministers are unconstitutional and that Most does not recognize them, emphasizing that ministers Slaven Dobrović, Ante Šprlje, and Vlaho Orepić will continue to perform their duties until they lose the confidence of the Croatian Parliament.
“The three decisions regarding the dismissal of three ministers of the Croatian Government are completely unconstitutional, which we do not recognize, and I want to announce that our ministers will continue to perform their duties until they lose the confidence of the Croatian Parliament,” said Šimić, holding in his hand the decisions signed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, which state that the dismissal decision takes effect immediately upon adoption.
He reminded that Article 110 of the Croatian Constitution defines that the Government, as a collective body, assumes office after receiving the confidence of the Croatian Parliament and that the dismissal of ministers is provided for in Article 116 of the Constitution.
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“Everything that the Prime Minister said today is not in accordance with that,” said Šimić, emphasizing that ministers can only be dismissed with the will of the majority of representatives in the Croatian Parliament. “The Prime Minister refers to Article 110 of the Constitution, which does not define such behavior nor is it possible. All ministers working in the Croatian Government had to receive confirmation from the majority of representatives in the Croatian Parliament before they started working. Likewise, if they want to express distrust, it can only be done through Parliament,” he pointed out.
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He believes that the Prime Minister should know this, given that in November 2016, he dismissed Minister Martina Dalić and Minister Goran Marić for formal reasons when he claims he needed the co-signature of the President of the Croatian Parliament for such a move.
Without Fear
Šimić also called on the Prime Minister to understand that Croatia has a parliamentary, not a chancellery system.
“The Croatian Parliament is the most important legislative body in Croatia, and our ministers will continue to perform their duties until the Croatian Parliament decides otherwise,” he stated.
When asked if he fears that Plenković might initiate the process of dismissing the President of the Parliament, he said that it is a legitimate move. “We have no fear in this regard; our colleagues from any parliamentary party, including HDZ, can initiate this process if they gather a sufficient majority of representatives. It is a legitimate move,” said Šimić. Regarding whether they have a majority, he said that should be asked of them and that “based on their statements, they believe they have.”
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He added that one of the options Most is considering is a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court.
As for Minister Kovačić, who did not attend the Government meeting due to personal obligations, namely a funeral, Šimić said he supports the decisions and voting methods of Most ministers.
When asked when a discussion about the confidence of Finance Minister Zdravko Marić will take place in the Parliament, he replied that the President Božo Petrov will decide on that and that it will be in accordance with the rules of procedure.
According to the rules of procedure, he stated, Petrov will put on the agenda a discussion about Most ministers if such a request comes to the Parliament.
In response to a journalist’s question about why Most is trying to remain in the Government, Šimić said they have no problem with someone not wanting them in the Government, but they do have a problem with “someone violating the Croatian Constitution and behaving as if they had a chancellery model.”
